Pigs with human genes have been in the news as Cambridge surgeons prepare to transplant their hearts and kidneys into human beings, but this is only scratching the surface of the revolution taking place in the world of genetics.

More than a bag of biodata - The mystery of life.Making new kinds of animals, plants or even humans is within our grasp using gene technology and British companies are leading the way. One such company is British Biotech (Archive 1994).

Cloning is just one example of the great power of gene technology, a technology we urgently need to treat or cure diseases such as diabetes, cystic fibrosis, cancer or AIDS, and to help feed the growing world population. However gene technology raises urgent questions of safety and ethics. We urgently need a Gene Charter so that much-needed research can continue with proper safeguards. Such a charter will need adoption throughout the EC and by other nations to be effective.

Scientists at Massachusetts Advances Cell Technology (ACT) succeeded in cloning a gaur, an ox-line animal at threat of extinction in Southern Asia. They used the "Dolly the sheep" animal cloning technique to create 81 cloned embryos after 692 attempts using gaur skin cells and cow's eggs. These cloned embryos were then implanted into cows, with 8 pregnancies, five miscarriages and three expected live births. (Guardian 7 October 2000)